Random House Management Team Takes Shape
Jim Milliot -- 7/13/98
Weisberg president of sales group; Sarnoff named CFO; Dorsen picked as general counsel
New Random House president Erik Engstrom wasted little time in announcing the management team that will run the nation's largest trade book publisher.
In a letter sent out to booksellers last Monday, July 6, Engstrom announced the formation of the publisher's new sales structure, which will be known as the Random House Inc. Sales Group, while a July 7 memo announced a number of upper-level appointments.
Don Weisburg, formerly president of the Bantam Doubleday Dell sales and merchandising division, has been appointed head of the new sales group. He will report to Engstrom. The sales division will be composed of three adult operations plus sales groups representing Random House Children's Publishing and Random House Value Publishing.
Divisional leaders reporting to Weisberg will be Bruce Harris, president, trade sales and marketing, Random House; Steve Black, senior v-p, director of sales, the Ballantine Publishing Group; and David Lappin, senior v-p, executive director of sales, BDD.
Overseeing the children's sales force will be Kristina Peterson, executive v-p of the group, while Lynn Bond will be heading the Random value publishing group. Both women will report to Harold Clarke, president, Random House Children's Publishing.
In his letter to booksellers, Engstrom stressed that each of the sales divisions will "retain their distinct identities, internal organizational structure, and selling responsibilities." Engstrom added that booksellers should see no major changes in the sales reps who call on their stores.
On the management side, Richard Sarnoff, formerly senior v-p and chief financial officer for BDD, will hold a similar position at Random House. Richard Szefc, Random's former CFO, will serve in an advisory capacity to Sarnoff during a transition period. Random's new secretary and general counsel is Harriette Dorsen, who had been in the same capacity with BDD. During the transition, Ellis Levine, Random's former general counsel, will serve in a consulting capacity. Sarnoff and Dorsen will report to Engstrom.
In operations, BDD's director of publishing operations, Andrew Weber, has been appointyed to oversee book production, inventory management, and SAP title administration for the merged company. William Barry, who oversaw operations for BDD, has been appointed to oversee book production, inventory management, and SAP title administration for the merged company. William Barry, who oversaw operations for BDD, has been appointed senior v-p of distriubution operations and services for Random. Barry will have responsibility for BDD's distribution center in Des Plaines, Ill., and Random's Westminster, Md., facility. Gilbert Perlman will continue to lead Random's client distribution services operation, reporting to Barry. Jim Milde, who oversaw operations for Random House, will help Weber and Barry with systems integration.
Other appointments include Jonathan Guttenberg, who was named v-pm new media Random House from a similar position he held at BDD. Random's new media leader, Randi Benton, will work with Guttenberg in a consulting capacity for the next several months.
Brian Davies continues in his role as president of Random House International; he will report to Random CEO Peter Olson on international operations, and to Engstrom in his capacity as head of U.S.-based international sales. Bob Michel, v-p, director of international sales for BDD, will report to Davies. David Kent, president and publisher, Random House of Canada, and John Neal, who heads BDD's Canadian units, will continue in their respective roles and will report to Engstrom.
Also continuing in their former capacities are Harold Clarke, head of Random's children's and value publishing units, and Craig Virden, president and publisher of BDD Books for Young Readers. Both men report to Engstrom.
Other executives reporting to Engstrom include Bonnie Ammer, president and publisher of Fodor's Travel Publications; Walter Weintz, president, Random House Information Group; and Jenny Frost, president and publisher of BDD Audio Publishing. Random's audio unit will remain under the direction of Michael Morrison as part of the Knopf Publishing Group.
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